The Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation has been awarded the inaugural Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) Collaborative Conservation Partnership Award. The Center is a collaboration between the Zoo, Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to rear, breed and release hellbenders into Missouri’s Ozark rivers and streams.
The Center for Hellbender Conservation works to help Missouri’s Ozark and eastern hellbender populations rebound from recent decline. The hellbender is the largest salamander species in North America, and Missouri is the only state where both subspecies are found in the wild. In the last four decades, populations declined sharply due to environmental threats, but breeding and reintroduction efforts are working to turn the tide. Over the last 15 years, the Zoo and its partners have released over 12,000 endangered hellbenders bred and raised at the Zoo into Missouri rivers.
About the Award
The PARC Collaborative Conservation Partnership Award recognizes outstanding partnerships that significantly further amphibian and reptile conservation. The Center was selected for this award because of its collaborative spirit as three institutions work together to advance hellbender conservation.
“This recognition is a testament to the years of passion, time and hard work of all involved in the Center as we rebuild the hellbender population,” said Justin Elden, Director of the Center and Curator of Herpetology and Aquatics at the Zoo. “The conservation milestones we’ve reached would not be possible without partnering with MDC and USFWS.”
About Endangered Hellbenders
The hellbender is the official endangered species of Missouri and is listed as state and federally endangered in Missouri. Often referred to as “living fossils,” hellbenders have lived in Missouri waterways for tens of thousands of years and spend their entire lives in fast flowing, heavily oxygenated streams. These camouflage experts spend most of their time nestled under rocks, hunting between strategic hiding places.
Protecting hellbender populations and their habitats is essential for the overall wellbeing of Missouri ecosystems, supporting environmental health and helping maintain biodiversity throughout the state. Hellbenders are indicators of healthy, clean water, and their presence in a river system often signals good overall health for that ecosystem.
Missouri Ozark and eastern hellbender populations have declined more than 70 percent over the past 40 years, making the species a major conservation priority for the Zoo and its partners. The Center for Hellbender Conservation focuses on research to better understand hellbenders and their aquatic habitats, which informs breeding and reintroduction strategies.
Learn more about the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation at stlzoo.org/hellbenderconservation.
